I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander - Chapter 129

Late at night.

'Another fruitless day...'

Lucie sighed as she entered the park and deactivated her optical camouflage.

Currently, Lucie was wearing a wig and civilian clothes, which was a disguise to collect data on biological experiments related to the 'Lucie Project'.

However, the results weren't very good.

Over the past few weeks, she had infiltrated research institutes in the capital that she thought were involved in biological experiments, but couldn't find anything.

'If it really wasn't the empire but the Allied Nations who conducted the biological experiments...'

In that case, she truly didn't know what choice to make.

As Lucie walked with these complex feelings, she spotted a familiar person across the street.

The man slowly moving under the streetlight was well-dressed in a military uniform.

At first, she thought she might have seen wrong, but when she saw the half-closed black eyes under the uniform cap, Lucie hesitated.

'...Daniel Steiner?'

The man's identity was Daniel Steiner, Lucie's superior and the one called the hero of the empire.

One strange thing was that his steps were slow and his gaze unfocused.

Moreover, his aimless movements lacked the usual spirit.

'Is he drunk?'

He must have attended the banquet after the coronation and drank heavily there.

Feeling somewhat angry and worried, Lucie followed Daniel after confirming no one else was around.

Daniel, completely unaware that Lucie was following him, trudged towards a nearby bench and collapsed onto it.

"Ah, I'm dizzy..."

Daniel, clutching his forehead while muttering, suddenly started nodding off.

Lucie, watching Daniel from behind a tree, broke out in a cold sweat.

'Is he going to sleep here?'

If he slept outside on such a cold day, he would catch a cold.

'Even if he doesn't catch a cold...'

The moment the citizens of the capital witness Daniel Steiner sleeping on the streets, rumors would surely spread like wildfire.

In the worst case, he might even die young at the hands of robbers targeting his valuables.

Lucie, unable to stay still, approached Daniel, thinking she had no choice.

She thought she should at least prevent him from sleeping on the street.

"Excuse me..."

As Lucie approached and called out, Daniel's shoulders, which had been hunched over, twitched.

Slowly raising his head, Daniel spotted Lucie and looked blank for a moment before speaking.

"Why is a lady out at such a late hour..."

Perhaps due to his judgment being clouded by alcohol, Daniel didn't recognize the disguised Lucie.

Thinking there was no need to reveal her identity, Lucie didn't make any excuses.

"I came to the park for a class assignment and got lost. What about you?"

"You seem to be an undergraduate from a nearby university. I attended the banquet after His Majesty the Emperor's coronation, and couldn't resist my department head's urging, so I ended up drinking heavily..."

Daniel shrugged as if to say there was no point in explaining further and stood up.

Perhaps due to Daniel's tall stature, Lucie naturally had to look up at him.

"I'll take you to the exit. It's dangerous for a woman to be alone."

"Ah..."

Daniel's kind words somehow felt awkward to Lucie.

Although he usually spoke informally, he tended to use a stiff tone with her as his adjutant, but now there was no formality in Daniel's speech.

'Whether it's because he's drunk or because he thinks he's dealing with an undergraduate student...'

Thinking it wasn't bad, Lucie nodded.

"I won't refuse."

Daniel chuckled and started walking first.

"Follow me. The exit isn't far. By the way..."

Seeing Lucie following beside him, Daniel said casually.

"You remind me of my adjutant somehow. Your atmosphere, your way of speaking."

Thinking she might have been discovered, Lucie looked at Daniel with wide eyes.

However, Daniel was just smiling drowsily as if he might melt at any moment.

'He smells of alcohol...'

Realizing there was no way she had been discovered, Lucie laughed dryly.

"It must be your imagination."

"I guess so. My adjutant wouldn't approach me as warmly as you. She's really scary, you know. She often glares at me, making me feel like my blood is draining."

Lucie looked at Daniel disapprovingly as he scratched his head while speaking.

She didn't like seeing Daniel badmouth his adjutant to a stranger (or not).

But the next moment, Lucie had to change her mind.

"But these days, rather than scary, she looks pitiful. It turns out she had a really gloomy past. So, how should I put it..."

A bitter smile appeared on Daniel's lips.

"I guess I'm worried about her."

Lucie's lips parted slightly as she watched Daniel from the side.

She hadn't thought that Daniel would continue to be concerned about her.

Feeling a subtle sense of guilt, Lucie placed her hand on her chest.

She could feel her heartbeat through her fingertips.

Taking a deep breath to dispel her embarrassment, Lucie glanced at Daniel and spoke.

"W-Well, that aside..."

Her voice cracked unintentionally.

Barely regaining her composure by clearing her throat, Lucie spoke again.

"...How's work these days? Since you're a war hero, it must be tough."

Work, huh. Daniel shook his head, as things were far from fine.

"It's the worst. I'm trying my best, but things keep getting more complicated. Moreover, I'm surrounded by people who dislike me, so it's not easy. Sometimes I wonder if I've drunk some kind of hate potion."

Although Daniel was speaking with a smile, there was no strength in his voice.

Perhaps because of his voice, the dark circles under his eyes seemed even darker than usual today.

As Lucie was inwardly looking at Daniel with sympathy, a 'boom' sound came from behind.

"...!"

Instinctively turning around, Lucie reached into her coat without a moment's hesitation.

Just as she was about to draw her gun to counterattack, Lucie hesitated.

The explosive sound wasn't from an enemy attack.

"Wow, fireworks."

As Daniel said, fireworks were bursting in the sky.

The fireworks exploding above the imperial palace's grand banquet hall were coloring the night sky.

Lucie sighed as she looked at Daniel's profile, innocently gazing up at the fireworks.

'I thought I was discovered...'

Relieved, Lucie put the half-drawn gun back into her coat pocket.

'Even if I was discovered, it wouldn't matter much since Daniel already knows I'm an Allied Nations spy, but...'

It would be troublesome in many ways if Daniel found out she had approached him in disguise.

So for now, it was best not to reveal her identity.

'Act like a normal undergraduate student.'

Glancing at Daniel, Lucie looked up at the sky embroidered with fireworks.

'A normal undergraduate would be amazed by the fireworks...'

Lucie's thoughts stopped there.

She was mesmerized by the spectacle of fireworks rising high into the sky and then bursting.

For Lucie, who was more accustomed to dark, enclosed spaces than the outdoors, the fireworks, which were like pictures made of light, were more beautiful than anything else in the world.

Watching the fireworks like a child, Lucie saw the last firework burst.

"Beautiful..."

Muttering without realizing it, Lucie turned to the side and was startled.

Daniel was looking down at her with relaxed eyes.

"Seems like it's your first time."

"...Pardon?"

"Seeing fireworks, I mean."

It was true that it was her first time, but somehow her pride was hurt to admit it.

As Lucie remained silent, gritting her teeth, Daniel chuckled softly and started walking.

"Let's go. We're almost at the exit."

"...Alright."

Feeling somewhat sulky for no reason, Lucie followed Daniel without saying anything.

After walking for about five minutes, the two arrived at the park exit.

Perhaps the alcohol had worn off a bit, Daniel took a deep breath and turned to Lucie.

"Well, I'll be on my way then. You should get back to your dorm quickly too."

Daniel waved his hand as if to say goodbye and started walking along the street.

Watching his retreating figure, Lucie felt somehow anxious.

Perhaps because of the conversation she just had with Daniel, his back view looked particularly lonely today.

Thinking she couldn't let him go like this, Lucie strode forward.

Catching up to Daniel, Lucie reached out her hand.

Her hand, hesitating in mid-air for a moment, gathered courage and grabbed Daniel's sleeve.

Feeling the touch, Daniel turned around, and Lucie, her face unintentionally reddening, opened her mouth.

"Not everyone dislikes Colonel Daniel. So..."

After a brief silence, Lucie lowered her gaze and bit her lip hard.

The blush that started on her face was spreading to her ears, indicating how embarrassed she was.

"At least one person..."

The rest of her words didn't come out.

Thinking it wouldn't do after all, Lucie bowed her head deeply and turned to walk away.

Watching Lucie's retreating figure, Daniel smiled inexplicably.

'How clumsy. She was in disguise as if begging me to recognize her...'

He wasn't sure if even that clumsiness was part of a meticulously planned honey trap, but to Daniel, it felt like a quite dangerous confession.

'If I hadn't known this was a honey trap...'

He might have fallen for it like a fool.